Smoke on the Horizon, Quitting Smoking, Part 2

Smoking is by far the single largest, preventable cause of health issues and death worldwide. About 5.4 million deaths are attributed to tobacco each year. As I chronicle my own journey to quit, this series will attempt to impart useful lessons to those who wish to quit smoking. This is Part 2, that covers days 5-10 of quitting smoking.

I should own stock in Nicorette. I have been having one every hour or so, unless I'm sleeping, even learning how to chew one while I have my morning coffee. It's like a cigarette, right? I have one or two driving to and from work, but the main thing is it is preventing me from having to smoke. It does seem like it's a hassle though, and I've began to wonder if the expensive of this gum is necessary. This is a CRITICAL thought that I'll discuss a little father down.

There are a few types of people on the quitting smoking support team. Those that want you to stop, those that don't want you to stop (because they might have to), and those that don't care if you smoke or not. Out of those three groups, there is only one you need close to you. I found that most people are truly on that "want you to stop" team. Unfortunately, there are still hold-outs that won't help you much on the other teams. I'm pretty sure I was one of them to people I've known that quit in the past, so I understand. At work, there are smoking areas that reek of smoke and nicotine smell. I used to happily frequent these places, because I couldn't smell it. I STILL frequent it, as a constant reminder of what I ALWAYS smelled like; an ashtray. And let's bee real, a little bit of second-hand smoke right after quitting isn't a bad idea, in fact, I think it's helped me quit. Because I am probably getting a temporary, trace amount of nicotine, subconsciously it may calm me. I'll say it again, you have to do what works for you. Don't hide from the fact that cigarettes exist and they are addictive. You spent a great deal of time with them, so pretending as if they aren't there is avoiding the problem, not addressing it. For an ex-smoker, I think the goal at first is to be able to say, "I can be around smoke and smokers and not have one. I choose not to have one."

I have been tempted. Many times, over the 5-10 days, it would have been so easy to ask a buddy at work for a cigarette. It would be SO easy! And only me and him would know. That's the problem. I would know. And I would have failed EVERY person that has supported me in quitting. Thinking about that, and thinking about wasting the time spent so far keeps me from doing it. The fact I can actually smell things now, and that people can tell I don't smell like an ashtray, keeps me from messing up a good thing. This was hard, why should I throw it away?

Remember that critical thought above? About the gum? By the time I was at Day 8, I was running out of gum. I wasn't too keen on spending another $60 on gum, so instead, I started incorporating regular old gum into my schedule. After doing this for a day or so, I really couldn't tell that it was any different. Sure, you may have to brush your teeth, drink water, and exercise a bit more, but that's better than the alternative. On Day 10, I had one piece of nicotine gum in the morning, and the rest of the day was normal gum. Day 11, no nicotine gum at all.

This is not easy, and you will be tempted to give up. Some of you will. I know I did the first couple of times I tried to quit. This is an important time in your quitting to validate WHY you are quitting. If you hold on, and push to Day 10, you can do it. Who wants to throw away 10 days of no smoking to give in to an urge. As I said in my original article, replace the habit. Replacement can save you. Look for a new update, when I cover Days 10-20, and then the big One Month wrapup! Thank you to all of my HubPages supporters; your assistance and support has been critical to my success!